Prospectus of the Inauguration of the “Japan-Oman Society”
The Sultanate of Oman, situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula, is a seafaring country boasting a long history and flourishing its ample culture as the strategic, geographic importance of maritime navigation route.
The modernization of Oman got underway when the present His Majesty the Sultan Qaboos bin Said ascended the throne in 1970. Japan, our country, established diplomatic relations with Oman in 1972, and entered into active cooperation for the economic and social development of Oman.
Japan’s economic and technological cooperation with Oman greatly contribute to the foundation of Oman’s social infrastructures including ports and harbours, roads, and facilities related to petroleum industries, all which form the basis of the current economic activities of Oman. “Japan-Oman Friendship Association”, since its inauguration in 1986, by establishing coordination with the Japanese government for cooperative projects, has been grappling actively with various activities to promote the warm relationship.
The Omani economy has been progressing satisfactorily, and thereby, marching toward its economic management system aimed at conversion to a diversified industrial structure from the export-oriented economy of depending on oil resources. Moreover, Oman’s political and social conditions are stable. As one of the prominent GCC states composed of the Arab Gulf States, Oman is playing an important role in stabilizing the Gulf region.
Peace and stability of the Middle East and the Arab Gulf region are the most challenging agenda of international society. It behooves Japan, dependent on energy resources of the region, to grapple more actively with these matters.
Oman is indeed a Japanophile and has been enjoying a long friendly relationship, and is a seafaring country sharing with Japan the Asian history and cultures. Establishing in its own territorial sea an international transit route through the Strait of Hormuz, and as a geo-economically close country to Japan being positioned at the entrance into the Arab countries, Oman is the state with which strategic importance should be noticed, and therefore, we should renew our perception of Oman.
In view of future friendly relations, Japan acutely feels the need to deepen our friendly relationship as the partners by not only enhancing exchanges to enrich and strengthen the economic relations but also by developing multilayered activities in the broader fields of human exchange in tourism, education, sports, arts, and cultures.
On such a basic perception, the new “Japan-Oman Society” recognizing in an advanced manner the “Japan-Oman Friendship Association” is now to restart in order to come to grips with various multi-tiered activities by winning the understanding and cooperation broadly of the people of financial circles, administrative bodies, academic societies as well as the general public in hope of their widespread participation.
The Society sincerely wishes a large number of people join it with the understanding of and endorsing this prospectus of inauguration of the “Japan-Oman Society.”
The Japan-Oman Society
November 2011